Surprise
by Vanessa Gordon
Summary: In which Jake learns not to judge a book by its cover. Slight spoilers 4x02


Jake hadn't spent more time in glee club than had been completely necessary today. Sure, his brother had adamantly insisted that sitting in that choir room had turned him into a man, but Jake really didn't see that much appealing about the group at the moment. Well, besides Marley, but it seemed as though dating Kitty had pretty much thrown any such possibilities out the window.

He'd never really had any friends anyway, so a lack of connection with those around them wasn't exactly new. And he was really pretty happy out here on the bleachers getting some time to think for himself, so it probably wasn't that important anyway.

"Hey nerd!" Jake blinked at the voice- he rarely encountered anyone out here. Football practice was already over and the bleachers weren't on the way from the locker room to the parking lot. "I'm talking to you!" Jake stood so he could see over the back of the bleachers. It was one of the football players from the cafeteria at lunch.

"Oh, I must not have heard you." Jake was familiar with this voice as well. It was Blaine, the guy from glee with the gelled hair and bowties. He didn't know much about him, just that the guy who'd still been hanging around at the beginning of the year was his boyfriend and that Puck had some sort of respect him. Either way, Jake began making his way down the bleachers to help him- two years older or not, the guy wasn't exactly huge or very athletic looking.

"-offered you're stupid club a chance to better themselves this year," this was the second guy from the cafeteria now. From the stiffer way Blaine was holding himself, it appeared that Jake was not the only one thinking this set up seemed geared towards violence.

"But you shot us down to do what, lip-sync that 'performance' of yours?"

"Are you done yet?" Blaine didn't seem the least bit alarmed in his tone.

"Look, homo, our point is that you and your little twinkle toes need to remember your place."

"So noted. Now, if you don't mind, I need to go do my homework since I actually care about passing my classes and all that." Blaine made to walk by the pair of jocks, but the first shoved him and the dark haired senior stumbled backwards.

Jake decided now was a good time to step in as Blaine shoved the blond guy back. Then Blaine ducked the dark skinned guy's move and slammed him with the messenger bag slung over Blaine's back, and Jake found himself too stunned to do anything. The football players seemed to be having a reaction similar to Jake's, and Blaine removed his messenger bag during their hesitation and dropped it on the ground behind him.

The dark skinned guy got over his shock first and quickly grabbed onto Blaine's shoulders in an attempt to force him over backwards. Blaine fought back, but the blond seized him from behind while the other two grappled. Jake was about to once more assume Blaine needed help when the senior stomped on the blonds foot before throwing an elbow up into the guys face, causing the guy to fall off him. Blaine then spun and knocked the dark skinned guy into his companion, and the pair fell over each other and onto the ground.

The pair returned themselves to their feet but neither approached again. The blond was holding his nose, and when he pulled his hand away there was red liquid on it.

"What the hell homo?" his friend demanded as he returned to clasping a hand over his nosebleed. "We could get you suspended for this you know!"

"Go for it," Blaine snapped back. The two regarded him for a second.

"Whatever," the blond attempted to retort though it was muffled by his hands clamped over his nose. The pair began what they probably thought was a dignified exit.

"Lay off Glee club!" Blaine yelled after them. Then he brushed down the wrinkles in his shirt and turned to pick up his bag. He stopped, and Jake realized with a start he was in plain view.

"Hi." Jake wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a greeting after what he'd just witnessed. "I take it you saw that whole thing?"

"How'd you learn how to fight?" Blaine shrugged.

"Mostly just a way to kill steam, some basic self defense. When you're gay in the middle of Ohio, it pays to know a thing or two." Jake nodded.

"Aren't you worried about them getting you suspended?" Jake grasped for the last hopes of salvaging his earlier analysis of Blaine.

"I'm pretty sure they'll realize the flaw in reporting me pretty quickly," Blaine replied. "It tends to ruin one's rep to announce that you were beaten by the gay nerd from glee club." Jake froze. After all, he only barely believed what he'd just witnessed with his own eyes. Had Blaine purposefully built up a nerd image to keep himself out of trouble with the teachers?

"Is this a common thing?" Blaine laughed at this question.

"Locker checks and slushies are common. This has happened all of three times, and this is the first this year. I'm notreally a violent person." Jake was relieved to hear both the words and the joking tone of the older boy. "Though I would appreciate it if you didn't call this event to everyone's attention. They'd worry about me unnecessarily." Jake nodded and Blaine smiled at him. "See you tomorrow." Jake smiled slightly in acknowledgement then just watched the senior leave as he let his brain wrap around how off his perception had been. Maybe his brother had a point about these people after all.


End file.
